Huge medal haul for swimmers at Armidale

Swimming Gunnedah turned it on in the UNE pool at Armidale last weekend when 21 swimmers from the club competed with determination and club pride, while also showing true sportsmanship.

A staggering 69 personal best (PB) times were clocked at the Kootingal Moonbi short course meet, with the club returning home with an impressive haul of 30 gold, 26 silver and 19 bronze medals.

With the unwavering support of head coach Colin Marley and club mates cheering from the sidelines, the swimmers performed at their best in a hugely successful meet where NSW Country and State times were achieved and Gunnedah club records were broken.

The seniors stepped up to show strong leadership and commitment, with Will Jansen (15) snatching gold in the 50m backstroke along with two bronze; Tahnee Steele (15) a silver in the 100m backstroke; and Jessica Broadhead (14) one gold in the 200m individual medley (IM) and three silver.

Riley Thompson bagged a silver in the 100m IM and a bronze while sister Tayla (12) won three gold and four silver.

Marsel Tikhonskiy (12) snatched gold in the 50m freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke along with a silver and a bronze.

It was tight competition in the 11 years boys where five Gunnedah competitors battled it out from the blocks. It was a top four finish for Gunnedah in the 50m freestyle, with Cameron Sills claiming gold, Banjo Fitzgerald silver, Wyatt Shorter bronze and Nathan Reeves coming fourth.

Cameron led the club medal tally with seven gold, two silver and two bronze with a gallant win in the 11-12 years 50m Dash for Cash. His best race was the 400m freestyle where he shaved almost five seconds off his best time.

Banjo won his signature event – the 100m butterfly – along with gold in the 50m backstroke and five silver. He also touched second behind Cameron in the splash and dash sprint.

Wyatt won gold in one of his strongest strokes – the 100m breaststroke – where he knocked 14 seconds off his best. He also picked up bronze in the 100m IM and 50m and 100m freestyle where he dropped 21 seconds.

Nathan Reeves (11) clocked five PBs and won bronze in the 50m backstroke and breaststroke, while Lukas Burden (11) recorded six PBs including a 6.55-second improvement in the 100m breaststroke.

The Dalessandro sisters continued to improve, with Macey (11) collecting gold in the 50m backstroke, two silver and a bronze while Darci (9) won a gold, a silver and a bronze. Jess (7) took gold in the 50m butterfly and two silvers.

Eight-year-old Jimmy Fitzgerald continued his record-breaking season and equalled Cameron’s tally of seven gold medals. The eight-year-old pocket rocket won the Dash for Cash and broke his own 100m butterfly Gunnedah club record by a huge six seconds in a lightning time of 1:37.08. He also took Aiden Sills’s 100m breaststroke record (2:00.74) to touch in a time of 1:52.01.

Jimmy rounded out his haul with a silver and a bronze, while Aiden clinched four silver and three bronze.

Aiden also clocked PBs of more than four seconds in the 100m butterfly, breaststroke and IM.

In the junior ranks, Huxley Sheridan (9) won four gold, a silver and a bronze.

Zoe Riordan (10) claimed four PBs from four races and dropped around eight seconds from her 100m freestyle and 50m butterfly times.

Rae Shorter (9) and Lennox Sheridan (7) clipped time off their 50m freestyle, and Shaun Reeves (9) shaved six seconds from his 100m freestyle time on top of three PBs.

Isabel Warmoll (10) cut more than eight seconds from her best 50m freestyle time.